Buttonhole scissors having size determining setting lines



May 17, 1955 E. E. MCCLOUD BUTTENHOLE SCISSORS HAVING SIZE DETERMINING SETTING LINES Filed March 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 17, 1955 E. E. M CLOUD 2,708,311

BUTTONHOLE SCISSORS HAVING SIZE DETERMINING SETTING LINES Filed March 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United rates BUTTGNHGLE SCISSORS HAVING SIZE BETERMEJEWG SETTING LINES My invention relates to buttonhoie scissors and is a continuation in part of my application, Ser. No. 49,867, filed on September 1S, 1948, now abandoned.

in buttonhole scissors which have heretofore been utiiized, considerable difiiculty is experienced in adjusting and setting the scissors and as a consequence buttonholes cut by such scissors may not be of the desired size.

it is the object of the present invention to provide a buttonhole sc' sors having improved means for enabling an operator to accurateiy adjust and set the scissors in one position to cut one or a series of buttonholes of one size and in which the scissors may be easily adjusted to different positions accurately set in each position to cut a buttonholc or series of buttonholes, the size of which wiil var in accordance with the particular settin ..1 be better understood by reference rig drawings in which:

s miiar to that shown in Fig. 3, showing ors in its open position;

13 a cross section-at view on the line S5 of Fig. 4; View of another modification of my invention showing the scissors in a set position; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the scissors in its open position.

As illustrated in ig. l of the drawings, my improved buttonhoie scissors includes a pair of substantially similar blades 1 2, each of which has an inner cutting edge an inner fiat face. Blade 1 is provided with an intermediate portion 3 terminates in a handle 4 and blade 2 is provided with an intermediate portion 5 which is pivotaily connected to the intermediate portion 3 of blade 1 by means of a pintle 6 and terminates in a handle 7 which is similar to handle To receive the edge of the work when the scissors is in its fully open position, as shown in Fig. 4, blades 1 and 2 are each provided with cooperating notches or cut-out portions 3 and 9, respectively, each of which extends from a point adjacent pin e 6 to the cutting edge of its respective blade.

in accordance with the present invention, the inner face of blade 1 is provided with a plurality of permanent spaced setting lines upon its face which may be of any suitable type but which preferably are in the form of narrow grooves as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The contour of the spaced lines on the inner face of blade 1 is dependent upon the shape of the cutting edge of blade 2 and are so formed that when the cutting edge of blade 2 is moved over the inner face of blade 1 into coincidence with a portion of ea h setting line, other portions of the cutting edge of l 2 will also be in coincidence with the same setting in. As shown, the setting lines are spaced apart over at east a portion of the blade to enable atent ice the scissors to be easily and accurately set to limit the closing movement of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 when the cutting edge is moved into coincidence with the selected setting line so that one or more buttonholes of a desired size may be cut.

The number of setting lines which are formed upon the inner face of biade It v'lii depend upon the size of the scissors and the number of different sized buttonholes that are to be cut. As illustrated in Fig. 1, three spaced setting lines Ii, 12 and 13 are provided on the inner face of blade 1, each of which originates at, or substantially at, the cutting edge of blade 1, forming an acute angle therewith, and extends toward the base portion of the lade which base portion borders notch 8 and extends to the outer edge of blade 1. Because the inner cutting edge of blade 3 is substantially straight, setting lines 11, 32 and 13 on the inner face of blade 3 are substantially straight and converge toward the base of the blade. It is not essential, however, that the lines extend completely across the inner face of blade it because when any portion of the inner edge of blade 2 is moved into coincidence with a portion of setting line 11, 12., or 13, other portions of the cutting edge of blade 2 will coincide with other portions of that line.

To enable the scissors to be set in a position in which buttonhoies of the desired size may be cut, handle 7 is provided with a threaded aperture to receive an adjustable screw 35 provided with a head or set screw 16 which may be secured to screw 15 in any desirable manner and by means or" which screw 15 may be adjusted to any desired position.

ease and accuracy with which the scissors may be adjusted and set in different positions when setting lines 11, 12 and 13 are formed upon the inner face of blade 1 will be readily apparent from the drawings. For instance, to effect the setting of the scissors to a position in which one or more one-inch buttonholes may be cut, the handles 4 and '7 of the scissors may be held in the left hand and screw 15' may be adjusted outwardly with the right hand to a sufficient extent to permit the inner cutting edge of biade 2 to slide freely over the inner face of blade 1 to a position siightly beyond setting line 11. The screw 15 may then be accurately adjusted inwardly with the right hand to a position in which portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 are in coincidence with setting line 11 when the scissors is in its limited closed position. When set in this position, the closiru movement of the scissors is therefore limited to such an extent that one or a series of one-inch buttonholes may be cut.

To change the setting of the scissors, screw 15 may be adjusted outwardly to permit the cutting edge of blade 2 of the scissors to pass slightly beyond either setting line 12 or setting line 13 during the closing movement or" the scissors and while the handles 4 and 7 of the scissors are held in the left hand, screw 15 is adjusted inwardly with the right hand until portions of the cutting edge of blade 2 are in coincidence with either setting line 12 or setting line 13 when the scissors is in its limited closed position, thus enabling one or a series of two-inch or three-inch buttonholes to be cut. Indicia, such as numerals 1, 2 and 3, may be placed on the inner face of he blade adjacent lines 11, 12 and 13, respectively, to indicate the size of the buttonhole that is to be cut when the closing movement of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 is limited to coincide with setting lines 11, 12 or 13, respectively.

The scissors shown in Pig. 2 is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. l and similar reference numerals are utilized to designate similar parts. In the modification shown in Fig. 2, however, the cutting edge of blade 2 is curved and setting lines 17, 13, l9, 2% and 21 on the inner face of blade 1 are also curved in such be in coincidence with the remainder of the line.

manner that when a portion of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 coincides with a portion of each setting line, other portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 1i1ll e scissors shown in Fig. 2 may be accurately set to limit the closing movement of the scissors in the same manner as the scissors shown in Fig. 1. In View of the fact, however, that five setting lines are provided on the inner face of the blade 1 in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the scissors may be set so that when it is in its limited closed position, portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 will be in coincidence with setting line 17, setting line 18, setting line 19, setting line 20, or setting line 21. In the form of scissors shown in Fig. 2, indicia may also be placed upon the inner face of blade 1 in any desired manner to indicate the size of the buttonholes that may be cut, such as in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4 which also disclose a scissors having five setting lines upon the inner face of blade 1.

Although the setting lines shown in Figs. 1 and 2 originate at the inner cutting edge of blade 1 and extend across the blade, it is not necessary that the setting lines originate at the cutting edge of blade 1 or that they extend completely across the blade. This feature is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 in which the setting lines 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 are in the form of narrow grooves as shown in Fig. 5 and are slightly curved to conform to the curvature of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 when the inner cutting edge of blade 2 is moved over the inner face of blade 1 and selectively into coincidence with each i of the setting lines. In the scissors shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it will therefore be apparent that when one portion of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 is in coincidence with a portion of setting line 22, 23, 24, 25 or 26, other portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 will also be in coincidence with the same setting line. In the buttonhole scissors shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it will be noted that the head 16 of screw 15 is formed integral therewith.

The scissors shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 may be accurately set to the desired position in the same manner as the scissors shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, that is, by first adjusting screw 15 outwardly, holding handles 4 and 7 in the left hand and moving the inner cutting edge of blade 2 slightly beyond the setting line 23, and then adjusting screw 15 inwardly with the right hand until portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 are in coincidence with setting line 23. After the scissors is set to limit its closing movement, it may be opened as shown in Fig. 4 to receive the edge of the cloth or other material in the notches or cut-outs 8 and 9 and the scissors may then be closed to cut a inch buttonhole. Buttonholes of diiferent sizes may of course be cut by limiting the closing movement of the blades to such a position that portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 will coincide with any desired setting line upon the inner face of blade 1.

Another modification of my invent-ion is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings in which the permanent setting lines on the inner face of blade 1, as designated by the numerals 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, are comparatively short and each is supplemented by a divisional line 33, 34, 35, 36,. 37, and 38, respectively, in the form of an are having the pivot point 6 as a center. As in the modifications shown in Fig. 2 and Figs. 3 to 5, the setting lines 27 to 32 are slightly curved so that when any portionof the curved edge of blade 2 is moved into coincidence with one of the setting lines, other portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 will be in coincidence with other portions of the same setting line. When divisional lines or arcs are utilized to supplement the setting lines, the indieia on the face of blade 1 showing the size of buttonholes which may be cut by the scissors may be larger and more easily seen by the operator than the indicia on the blade shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When this 4 arrangement is utilized, it is also desirable to form upon the outer surface of blade 2 a series of lines 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44 which are also in the form of arcs having a center at the pivot point 6 and which have the same radius, respectively, as arcs 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38.

In the scissors shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when lines 39 to 44 are formed upon the outer face of blade 2 and portions of the cuttingedge of blade 2 are moved into coincidence with setting line 27, arc 39 will form a continuation of are 33 and in a like manner when portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 are moved into c0- incidence with any one of setting lines 27, 23, 29,30, 31, and 32, arcs 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44 will form a continuation of arcs 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38, respectively.

In the scissors shown in Figs. 6 and 7, it will of course he understood that the inner cutting edges of blades 1 and 2 may be curved, as shown, or they may be straight as shown in Fig. 1, in which case setting lines 27 to 32 will be straight, and the setting lines and arcs upon the inner face of blade 1 and the arcs upon the outer face of blade 2 may be of any suitable permanent type. For instance, they may be in the form of grooves as shown in Fig. 5. The scissors shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be accurately set in desired positions in the, same manner as the scissors shown in Figs. 3 to 5. In the scissors shown in Figs. 6 and 7, however, the setting position may be still more accurately determined than in previous buttonhole scissors because when portions of the inner cutting edge of blade 2 are moved into coincidence with any one of the setting lines, one of the arcs on the outer face of blade 2 will form a continuation of an are on the inner face of blade 1.

I claim:

1. In a buttonhole scissors consisting of first and second blades slidable over each other in close cutting engagement in which each blade has an inner fiat face arranged between a cutting edge and an outer edge, a handle for each blade, an intermediate portion for each blade pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the other blade and in which each blade is provided with a notch arranged between its pivot and its cutting edge forming a base portion on the face of each blade adjacent the notch and between the notch and the outer edge of the blade which notches cooperate to receive the margin of the work when the blades are in their open position and in which adjustable setting means associated with the handles of the blades is provided to limit the closing movement of the blades, the improvement which consists in a plurality of spaced setting lines on the inner face of the first blade, one end of each of which setting lines extends toward the cutting edge and the other end of each setting line extends toward the base portion of said first blade, each of said setting lines being inclined at an acute angle relative to the cutting edge of said first blade which acute angle is difierent for any one setting line than for any of the other setting lines and in which the angle formed by each line corresponds to the inclination that the cutting edge of'the second balde makes with the cutting edge of the first blade when said cutting edge of the second blade is moved into coincidence with any portion of each one of the setting lines so that when one portion of the cutting edge of the second blade is thus moved into coincidence with any portion of each one of the setting lines on the face of the first blade other portions of the cutting edge of the second blade will be in coincidence with otherportions of the same setting line, and so that when the means associated with the handles of said blades is set in a position with the inner cutting edge of the second blade in coincidence with a selected setting line on the inner face of the first blade in the limited closed position of the blades a series of button holes of the same selected size may be cut with the scissors.

2. A buttonhole scissors as defined in claim 1 in which the inner cutting edge of each blade is substantially straight and is inclined outwardly and the setting lines on the first blade are substantially straight and extend from spaced points in proximity to the cutting edge of the first blade to approximately the base portion of the first blade adjacent said notch.

3. In a buttonhole scissors consisting of first and second blades slidable over each other in close cutting engagement in which each blade has an inner fiat face arranged between a curved cutting edge and an outer edge, a handle for each blade, and a portion for each blade in termediate the handle and the blade which is pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the other blade and in which each blade is provided with a notch arranged between its pivot and its cutting edge forming a base portion on the inner face of each blade adjacent the notch and between the notch and the outer edge of the blade which notches cooperate to receive the margin of the work when the blades are in their open position and in which adjustable setting means associated with the handles of the blades is provided to limit the closing movement of the blades, the improvement which consists of a plurality of spaced curved setting lines on the inner face of the first blade, each having one end extending toward the curved cutting edge of said first blade and forming an acute angle therewith and its other end extending toward the base portion of said first blade, each of said setting lines being inclined at an acute angle relative to the cutting edge of said first blade which acute angle is different for any one setting line than for any of the other setting lines and in which the angle formed by each setting line corresponds to the inclination that the cutting edge of the second blade makes with the first cutting edge of the blade when said cutting edge of the second blade is moved into coincidence with any portion of each one of the setting lines so that when one portion of the cutting edge of the second blade is thus moved into coincidence with any portion of one of the setting lines on the inner face of the first blade other portions of its cutting edge will be in coincidence with other portions of the same setting line, and so that when the means associated with the handles of said blades is set in a position to limit the closing movement of the blades with the inner cutting edge of the second blade in coincidence with a selected setting line on the inner face of the first blade a series of button holes of the same selected size may be cut with the scissors.

4. A buttonhole scissors as defined in claim 3 in which one end of each of the curved setting lines on the first blade terminates in proximity to the cutting edge of the first blade and the other end of each line terminates adjacent the base portion of the first blade.

5. A buttonhole scissors as defined in claim 1 in which each of the blades has inner and outer faces and the inner face of the first blade has additional spaced setting lines in the form of arcs, each of which arcs extends from a different setting line on the inner face of the first blade toward the outer edge of the first blade, and a series of spaced additional setting lines on the outer face of the second blade in the form of arcs, each of which has the same radius as a corresponding are on the inner face of the irst blade, whereby when said scissors is set in such a position that the inner cutting edge of the second blade is in coincidence with a selected setting line on the inner face of the first blade in the limited closed position of the scissors, one of the arcs on the outer face of the second blade will form a continuation of the are on the inner face of the first blade which extends from the selected setting line.

6. A buttonhole scissors as defined in claim 1 in which the setting lines on the first blade are comparatively short and in which a division line extends from each setting line toward the outer edge of the first blade, each of which division lines is in the form of an are having the pivot point of the intermediate portion of the blades as a radius, and in which a plurality of arcs are formed on the outer face of the second blade, each of which has the same radius as an are on the inner face of the first blade, whereby when said scissors is set in such position that the inner setting edge of the second blade is in coincidence with a selected setting line on the first blade in the limited closed position of the scissors, one of the arcs on the outer face of the second blade will form a continuation of the are on the inner face of the first blade which extends from the selected setting line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 116,936 Eastern July 11, 1871 137,745 Whitney Apr. 8, 1873 398,509 Henckels Feb. 26, 1889 674,828 Farnham May 21, 1901 1,296,660 Hayden Mar. 11, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 723,976 Germany Aug. 14, 1942 

